World Wilderness Congress

The Eigth Congress was held in 2005.

"Distinguished Honorary Co-Chairs from the host state of Alaska will convene the 8th World Wilderness Congress. The Executive Committee, coordinated by The WILD Foundation, is charged with identifying conservation objectives and organizing the program, with advice from an expert panel of Senior Advisors and an Advisory Group representing diverse interests."

Some of the "influential and accomplished people who have confirmed their attendance" at the 7th WWC (South Africa, November 2001) were: Michael Soule, Martin von Hildebrand, Vandana Shiva, Wangari Maathai, Ian Player, Walter Lusigi, Credo Mutwa, Michael Fay, Mohamed T. El-Ashry, Ian Douglas Hamilton, Bittu Sahgal, and M. A. Partha Sarathy. Sponsors included Compaq, Anglo American, Wildlands Trust , and South African Airways.

WILD9, was convened from 6-13 November 2009 in Merida, Mexico with 1800 delegates from 50 nations.

Honorary Co-Chairs

 * Jay Hammond - Governor of Alaska (ret)
 * Walter Hickel - Governor of Alaska (ret)
 * Byron Mallot - President, First Alaskans Institute
 * Susan Ruddy - President, Providence Foundation
 * Clem Tillion - President, Alaska State Senate (ret)

Senior Advisors

 * Mike Andrews, Chief Conservation Officer, The Nature Conservancy
 * Sylvia Earle, Executive Director; Marine Programs, Conservation International
 * Julie Kitka, President, Alaska Federation of Natives
 * Walter Lusigi, Senior Advisor, Global Environmental Facility
 * Michael McBride, Kachemak Bay Wilderness Lodge
 * William Meadows, President, The Wilderness Society
 * Larry Merculieff, Coordinator, Bering Sea Council of Elders
 * Russell Mittermeier, President, Conservation International
 * Jane Pratt, President, The Mountain Institute (ret)
 * David Sheppard, Head, IUCN Programme on Protected Areas
 * Mead Treadwell, Senior Fellow, Institute of the North
 * Bittu Sahgal, Editor, Sanctuary Asia
 * Xan Augerot, Wild Salmon Center

Executive Committee

 * Vance Martin, Chair
 * Robert Baron
 * Ulf Doerner
 * Cyril Kormos, The Wild Planet Project
 * Harvey Locke
 * Andrew Muir
 * David Parsons
 * Alan Watson, Director of Science Program

Sponsors
"The World Wilderness Congress is a non-profit initiative founded (1977) and managed by The WILD Foundation. It has no permanent funding and each WWC achieves its conservation objectives through the generous support of financial sponsors, the work of volunteers and organizations that provide valuable in-kind help, and the delegates that support the Congress and our scholarship program through their registration fees. Many of the delegates who come from less developed countries are sponsored through funds raised by WILD and its partners.

Lead Sponsor
 * Thoresen Foundation

Patrons
 * Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
 * Conservation International
 * Fulcrum Publishing, Inc
 * National Park Foundation
 * New York Community Trust
 * Christensen Fund
 * Ohrstrom Foundation
 * Trust for Mutual Understanding
 * U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
 * USDA Forest Service

Benefactors
 * Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research & Training Institute
 * CEMEX
 * Ford Foundation
 * National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
 * National Forest Foundation
 * Parks Canada

Contributors
 * Canadian Boreal Initiative
 * Bryant-Crane Foundation
 * Wilburforce Foundation
 * Wildlands Endowment Fund
 * U.S. Bureau of Land Management
 * USDA Forest Service International Programs

Supporters
 * National Park Service
 * Wilderness Society

Additional Sponsors of Specific Workshops, Sessions or Products (In-Kind and Financial)
 * Agrupacion Sierra Madre, Alaska Youth for Environment and Action, Aldo Leopold, Wilderness Research Institute, Arkive, Alaska Stock, Alaska EdVentures, Alaska Pacific University, Alaska Moving Image Preservation Association, AT&T Alascom, Bateluer’s -- Flying for Conservation in Africa, Ben & Jerry's, Blue Earth Alliance, Blue Pixel, Circumpolar Conservation Union, Fine Print Images, First Alaskans Institute, Ford Foundation, Fry Communications, Global Environment Facility, International League of Conservation Photographers, International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO), Lufthansa, Marine Photo Bank, National Geographic Society, Nature's Best Photography Magazine, Nature Screen, NE Wilderness Trust, Outdoor Photographer, Project Lighthawk, Rockefeller Philanthropic Group, State of the Salmon Consortium, Sweetwater Trust, The Nature Conservancy (Alaska), Wildlands Conservation Trust, Wild Britain Initiative, Wilderness Foundation (UK), Wilderness Foundation (SA) Wilderness Foundation (Germany), Wilderness Leadership School (South Africa), Wild Salmon Center, WWF/Canon, Anne Hanley, Cathy Day, Dan Toomey, Dana Guppy, David Rockwell, Gigi Coyle and Win Phelps, Herb Norwegian, Janine Amon, John Hendee and Marilyn Riley, Julie Cajune, Karen Martinsen, Larry Kopald, Lousie Aspinall, Marti Marshall, Patty Maher, Peter Stranger, Philip and Mikela Tarlow, Terry Tanner

Related Sourcewatch

 * M.A. Partha Sarathy
 * John C. Hendee